Garment container



Jur-1e l15, 1937. A. BAUM GARMENT CONTAINER Filed Jan. 3, 1955 Patented` `lune 15, 1937 NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GARMENT CONTAINER Leo A. Baum, Newark, N. J. Application January 3, 1935, Serial No. 209

8 Claims.

lhis invention relates to garment containers and in particular to such containers of flattened bag form in which articles of clothing are adapted to be stored. Such containers are provided with an opening for the introduction of the garments to be protected, and with closure means for the opening, designed to prevent the entrance of dust and vermin, and are further usually provided with means for hanging them in pendent relation.

While my invention has been described in connection with the bag type of garment container it will be obvious that as to certain phases thereof it may have other applications.

Garment bags or other containers, as at present constructed, afford no external indication as to the contents of the bag, unless they are labeled or otherwise marked. It is therefore one of the objects of my invention to provide a bag in which the contents may be seen without opening the bag. A further object of my invention is the provision of a closure that Will make the interior of the bag readily accessible and will effectively exclude dust and vermin and prevent the escape of vermin-destroying. chemical vapors from the bag.

A further object is the provision of parts associated with the closure, which of necessity vare subjected to frequent handling and hard wear,

with reinforcements designed to minimize the damage due to such frequent handling.

This and other objects are attained by making my bag of transparent material that will render the contents thereof visible, and providing a closure construction for the bag, the parts of which are adapted to register accurately and to reinforce thematerial of the bag in the neighborhood thereof so that it cannot readily be torn.

For the attainment of these objects, and such other objects as will hereinafter appear or be pointed out, I have illustrated one embodiment of my invention in the drawing in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational View of a garment bagv constructed according to my invention with a portion thereof broken away;

Figures 2 and 3 are respectively a plan View and a sectional View, on an enlarged scale, of a fragment of the material of which my bag is made;

Figure 4 is a View in perspective, on a greatly enlarged scale, and with parts broken away so as to disclose the parts thereof in section, this View corresponding approximately to a section on the line 4--4 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic showing of an in- 55 termediate step in the manufacture of the closure illustrated in detail in Figure 4 and indicated by the line 4-4 of Figure l.

On referring to Figure 1 it will be observed that the bag therein illustrated is of substantially rectangular shape, having two complementary walls, Ill and I2, joined on three sides'by stitching reinforced by tape. The details of this construction are similar to a construction that will be subsequently described in relation to the closure and therefore requires no further mention. The fourth side is left open and is provided at the free edges of the walls l0 and I2 with a pair of overlapping flaps I4 and IG, carrying complementary fastening elements i8 and 20. When the fastening elements are in their closed position a highly efficient sealing closure, that is vermin-proof, dust proof and vapor proof, is provided. It will be noted that the closure is shown along the longitudinal side of the bag, and I have found in practice that with this location ready access is obtained to the interior thereof, and removal or insertion of articles of clothing is conveniently eifected.

'I'he walls I0 and l2 are conveniently made of laminated fabric, a material illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 and which comprises al base of cellophane, that is, viscose in sheet form, indicated by the numeral 8, reinforced by a gauze-like threadY formation 9, made an integral part thereof by the application of heat or otherwise. This material has to a high degree the characteristics needed in a garment bag. It is impervious to dust and moisture, and does not absorb moisture, and it is transparent, whereby the contents of the bag made therefrom are readily visible, and it is also highly resistant to tensile stresses. Unfortunately however, it is not highly resistant to puncturing, tearing or other shearing stresses, and furthermore it has very little body, and therefore cannot be depended upon for an efficient closure effected by overlapping of sheets, which requires a relatively great degree of body. These deficiencies must be corrected to a sufcient eX- tent before laminated fabric can be effectively used with a vermin-proof bag, and it is the aim of my construction to do so by the provision of proper reinforcements at the required places.

I will now proceed to describe the details of my sealing closure with the aid of Figures 4 and 5. In Figure 4 the wall lil isshown as having its end portion 22 turned under the edge of the wall l0 so as to lie underneath the same. In order to cause the laminated fabric to lie flat and to afford a base suitable for the adequate support of the fastening member 20, fabric 24, having conlila' sidcrable body and rigidity, such as for example, sized canvas, is interposed between the Wall II] and the iiap 22, and the strips of fabric or tape, 26 and 28, are applied at the band and at the free edge cf flap 22 respectively and attached by stitching 3B and 32, thereby forming a hem construction that will serve to reinforce these respective portions and prevent any unraveling of the fabric strip 24, and tearing or wearing out of the laminated fabric, and will hold all these parts securevly in their proper relation. The edges of the tape 26 and 28 are shown as doubled over, this construction being effective as an extra reinforcement and also preventing unraveling at the edges.

The flap I4 provided on the edge of Wall I2 is adapted to overlap the parts just described, and carries the fastening members I8 that cooperate With the members 20 just referred to to effect closure, and is. most conveniently described in connection with the process of manufacture of the bag, and for this purpose reference is to be had to Figure 5. In that figure, I2, as before, denotes a wall of the bag, and this is shown as turned over so as to form the flap 34. Intermediate the flap 34 and the wall I2, a strip of fabric 36, similar to the strip 24 hereinabove described, is positioned, and intermediate the strip 36 and said wall I2 is applied a strip of fabric, 38, which is fastened thereto, as by gluing, so as to continuously reinforce the same, and for this purpose the strip may conveniently, although not necessarily so, be gummed cloth tape. 40 represents a strip of tape secured by stitching 42 to the doubled over edge of the Wall I2 so that the flap 7 36.', the strip 36 and the Wall I2 are united thereby at the bent-over portion. Thereafter the parts 34, 38 and I2 are folded over at a point indicated roughly by the dotted line D in Figure 5, Whereby a flap 35 will be formed on the free end of flap 34, and this bend, which forms the hinge for flap I4, is then reinforced by a strip of tape 44, secured by stitches 46 passing through the tape 44, through the Wall I2, through the strip- 38 and the iiaps 35 and 34.

It'will be observed that due to the addition of the body-giving strips, parts of the closure are caused to lie flat so as to cooperate complementarily. For example, flap 34 will lie flat against strip 38 and the latter registers with the hinge between flap I6 and wall I0, while again the latter is attened by contact with flap I 6 so as to engage flap I4 in sealing relation so that it is dust, vermin and vapor-proof. It will further be observed that the hinge portions between the flap I4 and Wall I2 and flap I6 and wall I0 are reinforced where most needed so as to give adequate security against damage, and that the strips 24- and 3G furnish adequate support for the fastening members I 8 and 20 and insure proper registration thereof by keeping them properly positioned.

On referring to Figure 4 it will be observed that the strip 3S is made of such Width that it reaches to the beginning of the iiap I6, and this insures the proper contour and comparative rigidity of the flap I6, and it will further be observed that the tape 38 insures proper reinforcement of the laminated fabric due to its being continuously joined thereto, thereby securing a reinforcement that it would be impossible to obtain by stitching, since laminated fabric is not strong enough to support such stitching, nor by any other discontinuous methods of juncture.

By reference to Figure l it will be noted that the bag there shov/n is provided with a small opening 46 through which the hook of a coat hanger 52, indicate-d by dotted lines, and positioned inside the bag may be protruded for purposes of suspending the bag by said hook. A reinforcing strip 48 is also shown applied inside the bag, in such a position as to overlie the coat hanger so as to protect the laminated fabric from direct contact with the hanger and to provide a better support for the fabric. A further reinforcement 50 is applied around the opening 45 so as to prevent tearing of the laminated fabric around the opening.

While I have herein described and illustrated one embodiment of my invention it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that many other embodiments thereof may be made Without exceeding the scope of my invention or departing from the spirit thereof and that I do not limit myself in any way other than as called for by the prior art.

Having described my invention I now claim:

l. In a transparent garment bag, a pair of iieXible transparent walls having their edges joined to each other so as to form a bag open at one side, a sealing closure comprising overlapping flaps formed from the edge portions of the walls adjacent the mouth or open side of the bag, reinforcing fabric strips adapted to stiften and to strengthen said flaps, positioned intermediate said flaps and the adjacent wall portion of the bag, a reinforcing strip continuously associated with the portion forming the hinge between one of said walls and one of said aps, and complementary fastening members carried by said flaps.

2. A transparent garment bag having walls of laminated fabric, and having a sealing closure comprising overlapping flaps formed from the edge portions of the walls adjacent the mouth or open side of the bag, reinforcing fabric strips adapted to stiffen and to strengthen said flaps positioned intermediate said aps and the adjacent wall portion of the bag, a reinforcing strip continuously associated with the portion forming the hinge, between one of said walls and one of said fiaps, and complementary fastening members carried by said aps.

3. In a garment bag open at one side and having transparent walls, a sealing closure comprising overlapping flaps formed on the end portions of the walls at the open side of the bag, exible reinforcing strips carried by said flaps and adapted to give body to and to strengthen said iiaps, a fabric strip cemented to the wall portions of the bag so as to overlie the juncture of one of said flaps with a wall of the bag and complementary fastening members carried by said flaps.

4. In a garment bag open at one side and having transparent walls, a sealing closure comprising overlapping flaps formed on the end portions of the Walls at the open side of the bag, flexible reinforcing strips attached to said flaps and adapted to give body to and to strengthen said flaps, a fabric strip cemented to the wall portions of the bag so as to overlie the juncture of one of said flaps with a Wall of the bag, a strip of fabric applied on the outside of the transparent walls so as to overlie said juncture of the flap with the Wall, and stitching applied through said cemented strip, through said wall and through said outside strip, in spaced relation to said juncture.

5. A garment bag having transparent flexible walls, in the form of a bag open at one side, a sealing closure formed at said open side, said closure comprising a reinforced portion on the end of one wall adjacent said opening, and a reinforced flap portion formed on the other Wall and having its point of junction with the Wall spaced from the reinforced portion on the other Wall, said fiap portion being of an extent sufficient to overlap said reinforced portion on the other Wall, and reinforcing means continuously applied to the nap-carrying Wall between the ap and the reinforced portion on the other Wall.

6. A garment bag having transparent flexible Walls, in the form of a bag open at one side, a sealing closure formed at said open side, said closure comprising a reinforced portion on the end of one Wall adjacent said opening, and a reinforced ap portion formed on the other Wall and having its point of junction With the wall spaced from the reinforced portion on the other wall, reinforcing means continuously applied to the flap-carrying Wall between the flap and the reinforced portion in the other Wall, and fasten- 20 ing means carried by said iiap and said reinforced portion on the other wall, adapted to interlock the portions of said closure.

7. A garment bag of transparent laminated fabric open at one side, a sealing closure for said openingv comprising a pair of overlapping reinforced fiaps, one of said flaps comprising a doubled-over layer of laminated fabric with a fabric strip positioned therebetween and fastened thereto in a continuous manner, and said doubled over layer and fabric strip extending beyond the hinge portion of the said flap and into the body of the bag.

8. A garment bag of transparent laminated fabric open at one side, a sealing closure for said opening comprising a pair of overlapping reinforced flaps, one of said aps comprising a doubled over layer of laminated fabric With a fabric strip positioned therebetween and fastened thereto in a continuous manner, and said doubled over layer and fabric strip extending beyond the hinge portion of the said flap and into the body of the bag and an additional layer of fabric positioned Within said flap between said doubled over layers of laminated fabric.

LEO A. BAUM. 

